Mesa
Consolidated Water District (Mesa Water) is located
in a community that originated in about
1906. The first water system in the area
was developed by the La Habra Valley Land
and Water Company, which drilled the first
well in 1910. In 1913 the Fairview Farms
Mutual Water Company constructed a system
for agricultural purposes and in 1918 the
Newport Heights Irrigation District was
formed to serve domestic and irrigation
water. These two agencies acquired the
facilities of the La Habra Water Company.
With
continued growth in the early 1900s,
the Newport Mesa Irrigation District
and the Santa Ana Heights Water Company
were created. Fairview Farms Mutual Water
Company later became the Fairview County
Water District; Newport Mesa Irrigation
District became the Newport Mesa County
Water District.
In
1953, the city of Costa Mesa became an
incorporated city and in 1955, it created
a municipal water system to serve the
areas beyond the four existing district
boundaries.
On
June 30, 1959, the Governor of California
signed Senate Bill 1375 (Costa Mesa District
Merger Law), as introduced by Senator
Murdy. On January 1, 1960, Mesa
Water (formerly known as the
Costa Mesa County Water District) commenced
operations by acquiring the assets and
obligations and assumed the responsibility
of consolidating the city of Costa Mesa's
Water Department, Fairview County Water
District, Newport Heights Irrigation
District, and Newport Mesa County Water
District. The Santa Ana Heights Water
Company was originally involved in merger
discussions, but withdrew before consolidation.
Mesa Water
set a precedent with this merger as the
first California water agency to consolidate
two or more water agencies and assume
both their assets and debts.
Mesa Water
is governed by a five-member Board of
Directors. The service area is divided
into five divisions. One individual from
each division is publicly elected to
serve a four-year term as a Director.
Mesa Water
serves more than 110,000 people in an
18-square mile area including the City
of Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach,
sections of unincorporated Orange County
including the John Wayne Airport.
Mesa
Water has
been distributing a combination of imported
water and local groundwater. Imported water
had consisted of water received from the
Colorado River until 1972, when Mesa Water also began receiving water
from Northern California, via the California
Aqueduct. Mesa Water's wholesale water
supplier is the Municipal Water District
of Orange County (MWDOC), who purchases
imported water from the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California. Currently,
75 percent of Mesa Water's water supply is derived
from groundwater from local wells; the
other 25 percent is imported water.
A
variety of system improvements have been
made since Mesa Water's consolidation
in 1960. Mesa Water drilled additional wells
to maximize local water resources, added
two water storage reservoirs with the
total capacity of more than 28 million
gallons, implemented a mainline replacement
program, and organized the separate water
districts' systems into a more flexible
loop system.
Additionally,
Mesa Water encourages commercial and industrial
customers to use reclaimed water for
greenbelt areas. Using reclaimed water
for irrigation purposes saves potable,
or drinkable, water for other uses.
Mesa Water
is in the forefront of colored water
treatment. Colored water is a high quality
local resource found in deep aquifers
of the Orange County Groundwater Basin.
It is the color of weak tea and has a
sulfur odor. The color and odor are removed
using ozone and chlorine which is used
for disinfecting.
Mesa
Water customers
are charged a Basic Charge depending on
the size of the meter. The average single-family
home has a 5/8" meter, with a Basic
Charge of $9.00 per month.
In
addition to the Basic Charge, customers
are charged a Usage Charge for every
unit of water used. A unit of water is
equivalent to 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons.
Mesa Water
is totally reliant on rates for the operations
and maintenance of the District. Mesa Water
does not receive money from property
taxes.
Mesa Water
customers
are billed bi-monthly. Your bill provides
valuable information including the billing
and due date, the billing period and the
amount of water used. The bill also contains
a message from Mesa Water about upcoming programs
or water use tips.
Your
water bill is due upon receipt and becomes
past due 25 days after the date of billing.
Failure to pay in a timely manner may
result in disconnection of water service.
To resume service, a deposit and a reconnection
fee may be charged.
Mesa Water
accepts electronic bill payment. Please
call the Customer Service Department
at 949/631-1200 for information.
If
you have questions about your bill or
the services provided by Mesa Water, the Customer
Service Department will assist you weekdays,
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Payment
drop boxes are located at the Costa Mesa
Senior Center at 695 West 19th Street
and at Mesa Water's headquarters at 1965
Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa.
All
water produced and delivered by Mesa Water meets or surpasses standards
for public drinking water established by
the State Health Department and the Environmental
Protection Agency. Such standards are stricter
than those set for any other thing we eat
or drink.
Thousands
of samples are collected each year at
reservoirs and point-of-use locations.
The samples are then tested in State
certified laboratories. State-of-the-art
technology detects constituents in the
water at parts per billion and, in some
instances, parts per trillion. A water
quality report is mailed to customers
annually.
No additional
treatment to your tap water is necessary. If you choose
to use a point-of-use treatment system,
be sure to follow the manufacturer's
instructions so the quality of your water
supply is not adversely affected.
Mesa
Water is committed
to protecting the health of their customers
by providing safe, reliable, high-quality water.
Conservation
is a priority at Mesa Water. We regularly implement programs
for leak detection, water meter testing
and replacement, residential conservation
surveys, and pump efficiency.
At
your home or business, a single leak,
no larger than a pinhole, can cause 120
gallons of water to be wasted per day.
A running toilet wastes a considerable
amount of water. If water use increases
without reason, there may be a leak.
To check, turn off all water-using devices
and observe your meter. If water use
continues to be recorded, there is a
leak.
The
use of low-flow showerheads allows customers
to enjoy a full force shower while saving
water. Compared to less efficient toilet
models using five to seven gallons per
flush, ultra-low-flush toilets at 1.6
gallons per flush show significant water
savings.
Public
information programs play an important
role in water use at Mesa
Water. Mesa Water participates
in water education programs and sponsors
school projects. Gardens with low-water use
landscape plantings are available for
public viewing. High bill & conservation
water audits are also available. Mesa Water
employees work with local cities and
communities to create water policies,
which promote water conservation.
You
can help us preserve this precious resource
by practicing wise water use both inside
and outside your home or business. Free
water conservation information can be
obtained in our office or mailed to you.
It is up to us all to use water wisely.
If
you understand the language of your water
meter, it can tell you a great deal about
water usage in your household. For instance,
it can indicate if you have a leak. You
can even find out how much water your household
appliances require.
Most
meters are located in a concrete box
near the front curb. The water meter
records in cubic feet.
To
read a straight reading meter on a weekly
or monthly basis, read each digit as
you would the mileage indicator in your
car. Disregard the last two numbers.
These measure in units smaller than hundred
cubic feet.
HOW
TO CONVERT CCF INTO GALLONS:
1.
There are 748 gallons
per 1 ccf.
2.
Multiply the number
of CCF's by 748 gallons
to get the number of
gallons used.
Example:
12
ccf x 748 gallons
= 8,976 gallons.
ONE
REVOLUTION OF THE SWEEP
HAND EQUALS 7.48 GALLONS
CHECK
FOR LEAKS: A simple
procedure detects leaks that
may exist anywhere in your
home.
1.
Turn off all water,
inside and outside.
2.
Read your meter.
3.
If your meter has a
Flow Finder triangle
it should not be moving.
4.
If the Flow Finder
is moving, there may
be a leak.